Things to do in Jackson MS

Jackson is the capital city of Mississippi. The statewide Mississippi Freedom Trail runs through the city, encompassing a number of historic sites that were significant in the civil rights movement. These include the Medgar Evers Home Museum and the landmark Mississippi State Capitol building. In leafy LeFleur’s Bluff State Park, the Mississippi Museum of Natural Science includes an aquarium and nature trails.

ZIP codes: 39200-39299


Jackson is the capital of Mississippi and is among 2 county seats of Hinds County. Named after General Andrew Jackson, it was established in 1821 to be the state capital. After the Battle of Vicksburg in 1863, General William Tecumseh Sherman's Union forces over-ran Jackson and also burned it to the ground. There was a gas boom in the 1920s, and it's nicknamed "The City with Soul."

The Jackson area has a population of 579,332. It belonged to the Choctaw Indians in the day. Mississippi Choctaw are currently part of the Mississippi Band of Choctaw Indians and reside in a number of Native-American communities in the state.

The initial European settler was Louis LeFleur, and Jackson was initially known as LeFleur's Bluff. In 1821, a state-commissioned summary stated LeFleur's Bluff was a beautiful location and had plenty of water and also trees and also access to the Natchez Trail. The area after that ended up being the seat of state government. It was plated in 1822 in a grid pattern, and city blocks include many parks. The railroad went through Jackson in 1840, which stimulated growth after the Civil War.

Jackson was a production center for the Confederacy throughout the Civil War, making it a target of Union troops in 1863. Given that the city was destroyed, few antebellum buildings have endured. However, the Governor's Mansion, the Old Capitol, as well as the Jackson City Hall remain.

After the War Between the States, financial recuperation was sluggish. Mule-drawn streetcars ended up being electrical in 1899. A new capitol building was constructed in 1903.

Born in Jackson in 1909, author Eudora Welty won the Pulitzer Prize in 1973 for, "The Optimist's Daughter." The Jackson Town library was named after her, and her residence is a National Historic Landmark. Jackson experienced a growth explosion in the early 20th century, and a brand-new Union Terminal was built. The King Edward Hotel opened in 1923 and also was a facility for prominent occasions. The 1919 Standard Life Building established the record for the largest reinforced concrete building at the time.

Natural gas fields were discovered in 1930 leading to an additional boom that reduced the results of the Great Depression. This sector tailed off in 1955.

Throughout Mississippi's extensive Prohibition, drinking and also gambling thrived on the opposite side of the river in Flowood's Gold Coast. Those businesses shut down when Mississippi legalized alcohol in 1966. The state permitted riverboat gaming in 1990, and many casino sites have actually opened up.

Hawkins Field came to be a crucial United States Army airbase in World War II, containing the Royal Netherlands Military Flying School after Nazi Germany overran the Netherlands.

Jackson was an important hub of civil liberties demonstrations in the '60s and also was the terminus of the James Meredith March. Meredith was the first African American to register at the U of Mississippi. The first lung transplant took place at the University of Mississippi Medical Center in 1963. Malaco Records calls Jackson home and also is a leader in gospel, blues, and soul. Paul Simon tape-recorded at Malaco in 1973.

Harvey Johnson, Jr. became Jackson's first African-American mayor in 1997, and he was a champ for the Convention Facility. Jackson was signified as one of the 10 friendliest cities in the United States in 2013.

Jackson is in Hinds County and also some areas of Madison and also Rankin counties. The eastern line is the Pearl River. It's bordered on the north by Ridgeland, on the east by Flowood and also Richland, the south by Byram and the west by Clinton. It has an overall landmass of 113.2 square miles and is drained by the Big Black and also Pearl Rivers.

Jackson sits on top of a dead volcano that's 2,900 feet below the earth. The buried peak is under the Mississippi Coliseum. Jackson-Evers International Airport has non-stop service to six cities.

Re-created 1920s town & cotton artifacts

A living-history farm, a recreated 1920s cotton-economy-era town & local historical artifacts.

Interactive galleries on local history

History museum with interactive galleries exploring the state's role in the civil rights movement.

Jackson, MS

Southern fare with a twist & original cocktails spotlighted in modern-rustic digs with a patio.

Jackson, MS

NY-style pizza & myriad ice creams are served in laid-back digs with patios & an adult-only lounge.

Jackson, MS

Contemporary dining space providing innovative, Southern-style seafood mains & craft cocktails.

Jackson, MS

Seasonal Southern meals with a Mediterranean twist in a sharp, open bar/eatery with outdoor seating.

Jackson, MS

BBQ plates with global influences & a lengthy craft beer list offered in hip, rustic surrounds.